AMERICAN PIE THE THIRD VERSE

Now for ten years we've been on our own, and moss grows fat on a rolling stone. But that's not how it used to be, when the jester sang for the king and queen, In a coat be borrowed from James Dean, in a voice that came from you and me. Oh! And
while the king was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown. The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned. And while Lenin read a book on Marx, the quartet practiced in the park. And we sang dirges in the dark, the day the music died.
We were singing,

Bye bye Miss American Pie. Drove my Chevy y to the levee. But the levee was dry. Them good ole-boys were drinking, whiskey and rye singing, "This'll be the day that I die, this'll be the day that I die."

Before I can interpret the third verse, I am going to give you some information, that will help explain what this "rolling stone of the third verse represents."

The lyrics say, concerning this 'rolling stone';

Now for ten years we've been on our own, and moss grows fat on a rolling stone. But that's not how it used to be

THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HAS DECLARED THAT AMERICA IS INDEED, A CHRISTIAN NATION!

The Supreme Court of America, said;

"There are no contrary declarations, and in no charter or constitution, is there anything to even suggest, that any other, than the Christian religion is the religion of this country."

'America is a Christian nation, and was declared so by Supreme Court Justice, David J. Brewer.' Most public officials, as well as most American Citizens, do not realize that, Supreme Court Justice Brewer, who served from 1890, to 1910, wrote a
lengthily opinion establishing the legal logic, that America is a Christian Nation. Chief Justice Brewer's opinion, is as follows;

We classify nations, in various ways, for instance by their form of government, one is a Kingdom, another an Empire, and still another, a Republic. Also by race, we classify nations, Great Britain is an 'Anglo-Saxon' Nation, France a Gaelic,
Germany a Teutonic, and Russia a Slav Nation. And still again, we classify nations by religion, one is a Mohammedan Nation, others are heathen, and still others are Christian Nations. This Republic, America, is classified among the great
Christian Nations of the world. (It was so declared that America is a Christian Nation, in the case of Holy Trinity Church, verses the United States).

This is from an unanimous opinion, dated February 29, 1892.

Chief Justice Brewer continues;

But In what sense can it be called a Christian Nation? Not in a sense that Christianity is the established religion, or that the people are in any manner compelled to support it. On the contrary, the constitution specifically provides that
Congress should make no law, respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

Neither is it Christian in the sense that, all citizens are in fact named Christians, on the contrary, all religions have free scope within our borders. Numbers of our people profess other religions, and many reject all. Nor is it Christian in a
sense, that a profession of Christianity, is a condition for holding office, or otherwise engaging in a public service, or essential to recognition, either politically or socially. In fact the government as a legal organization, is independent of all
religions. Nevertheless we can constantly speak of this Republic, as a Christian Nation, in fact, as the leading Christian Nation of the world.

This popular use of the term, certainly has significance. It is not a mere creation of the imagination, it is not a term of derision, but has a substantial basis, one which justifies it's use. Let us analyze a little, and see what is the basis.
It's use has had, from the early settlement on our shores, and still has an official foundation. It is only about three centuries, since the beginning of civilized life, within the limits of these United States, and those beginnings were in a marked
and marvelous degree identified with Christianity.

CHRISTIANITY INSPIRED THE COLONIES

It is not an exaggeration to say, that Christianity in some of it's creeds, was the principle cause, of the settlements of many of the colonies, and co-operated with business hopes and purposes, in the settlement of the others. Beginning in this
way and under these influences, it is not strange that the colonial life, had a Christian tone.

In Delaware by the Constitution of 1776, every office holder was required to make, and subscribe to the following declaration;

"I do profess faith in God The Father, and Jesus Christ his only son, and in the Holy Ghost. One God blessed for evermore, and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old, and New Testament, to be given by divine inspiration."

New Hampshire, in Constitutions of 1784, and 1792, it required that, the Senators, and Representatives, should be of the Protestant Religion, and this provision remained in force until 1877.

The Fundamental Constitution, of the Carolinas, declared;

"No man shall be permitted, to be a free man of Carolina, or to have any estate, or habitation within it, that doeth not acknowledge a God, and that God is publicly, and solemnly to be worshipped."

The Constitution of North Carolina, of 1776, provided that; "No person who shall deny the being of God, or the truth of the Protestant Religion, or the divine authority of either the Old or New Testament, or who shall hold religious principles
incompatible with the freedom and safety of the state, shall be incapable of holding any office, or place of trust, or profit in the civil department within this state;" This remained in force until 1835, when it was amended by changing the word
Protestant, to "Christian." and as so amended it remained in force until 1868, and in that Constitution, among the persons disqualified for office, were all persons who shall deny the being of Almighty God.

Christianity was fundamental to office holding in Maryland by the Constitution of 1776. Every person appointed to any office of profit or trust, was not only made to make an official allegiance to the state, but also subscribe to a declaration or
belief, in the Christian Religion.

Mississippi, by the Constitution of 1817, provided that anyone that denies the being of God, of a future state of rewards and punishments, shall not hold any office, in any of the Civil Department's of the state.

Another significant matter, is the recognition of Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, a day peculiar to that faith, and known to no other. It would be impossible within the limits of this lecture to point out all the ways, within the limits of this
lecture, in which that day is recognized, the following illustration must suffice;

By the United States Constitution, the President is required to approve all bills, passed by Congress. If he disapproves, he returns it with his veto, and then, specifically it is provided, that if it is not returned by him within ten days, Sundays
excepted, after it shall have been presented to him, then it becomes the law of the land. Similar provisions are found in the constitutions of most of the states, and in thirty six out of forty five, is the same expression, "Sundays excepted." By
decisions in many states, a contract made on Sundays, is invalid, and cannot be enforced. By the general force of decision, no judicial proceedings can be held on Sunday.

All legislative bodies, whether municipal, state, or national, must abstain from work on that day, indeed the vast number of official action, legislative and judicial, recognize Sunday as a day separate, and apart from the others, a day devoted to the
ordinary pursuits of life.

GOD'S NAME PREVAILS

While the word 'God' is not infrequently used, in the singular and plural, to denote any supreme being or beings, yet when used alone and in the singular number, it generally spoken of in the Old and New Testaments, and worshipped by Christians, in
that sense the word is used in constitution, and statute, and instrument. In many state constitutions we find in the pre-amble, a declaration like this;

"Grateful to Almighty God."

In summation, he who denied the being of God, was dis-qualified from holding office, it is again, and again declared in constitution and statute, that official oaths will close with an appeal to "so help me God." When upon inauguration, the president
elect, for each four years, consecrates himself to the great responsibilities, of Chief Executive of the Republic. His view of consecration in the presence of the vast throng, filling the Capitol Grounds, will end with the solemn words, "So Help Me
God," and all our court witnesses, in like manner, touch for the truthfulness of their testimony.

The common commencement of wills, is in the 'Name Of God.' Every foreigner, attests his renunciations of allegiance to his former sovereign, and his acceptance of citizenship in this republic, by an appeal to 'God.'

These various declarations, and charters, and constitutions, and statutes, indicate the general thought and purpose. If it be said that similar declarations, are not found in all the charters and constitutions, it will be born in mind, that these
omissions often were deemed unnecessary, and further, it is of still more significance, that 'there are no contrary declarations, and in no charter or constitution, is there anything to even suggest, that any other, than the Christian religion is the
religion of this country,' and in none of them, is Mohammedan, or Confucius, Bhudda, in any manner noticed, 'and in none or them is Judaism recognized,' except in tolerance.

While the separation of church and state, is often affirmed, there is no where a repudiation, of Christianity, as one of their institutions, as benedictions of society. In short there is no charter, or constitution, that is either infidel, agnostic, or
anti-Christ.

in*fi*del (ın"fı-d...l, -dµl") n. 1. An unbeliever with respect to a particular religion, especially Christianity or Islam. 2. One who has no religious beliefs. 3. One who doubts or rejects a particular doctrine, system, or principle.

ag*nos*tic (²g-n1/4s"tık) n. 1. One who believes that there can be no proof of the existence of God but does not deny the possibility that God exists. --ag·nos·tic adj. 1. Relating to or being an agnostic. 2. Noncommittal. --ag·nos"ti·cal·ly adv.

an·ti·christ (²n"tı-krşst", ²n"tş-) n. 1. An enemy of Christ. 2. Antichrist. The epithet of the great antagonist who was expected by the early Church to set himself up against Christ in the last days before the Second Coming. 3. A false Christ.

Wherever there is a declaration of a favored religion, it is of the Christian Religion. In view of the multitude of expressions, in it's favor, the avowed separation between church and state, is a most satisfactory testimonial, that it is the religion
of this country.

For a peculiar thought of Christianity, is a personal relation between the man, and his maker, uncontrolled, and independent, of human government. Notice also, the matter of chaplains. These are appointed for the army and navy, chaplains are also
named as officials of legislative assemblies, and universally they belong to one or the other Christian denominations. There whole range of service whether in prayer or preaching, is an official recognition of Christianity, if it be not so why do we
have chaplains.